Lulu’s Chocolates and Botanicals: Artisanal Chocolate with a Conscience

Lulu’s Chocolates & Botanicals

Lulu started making her own chocolate in 2006 after finding out she was allergic to dairy and refined sugar. Chocolate was a passion of hers, and she wasn’t willing to give it up. After being introduced to the cacao tree in Hawaii, she made it her mission to find ways to create healthy, responsible chocolates.

Lulu’s Chocolates and Botanicals

Now celebrating Lulu’s Chocolate Lounge’s third year in business, Lulu eagerly puts together a tray of delightful-looking dark chocolates for us, fashioned in the shape of hearts and fleur-de-lis. She takes great pride in her products, which are 100 percent organic, vegan, fair trade, paleo-friendly, soy- and gluten-free and sweetened with raw, low-glycemic coconut sugar. The cacao, sourced from Ecuador, is wild harvested by landowners paid above living wages. The raw cacao is dried naturally in the sun until fermented; workers grind the nibs to press out cacao butter, which is then made into cacao liquor, paste, or couverture to be shipped to Lulu.

When a family member was diagnosed with cancer, it put a fire under her to release Lulu’s Botanicals, which launched on 4/20 of this year. The company is based in Santa Cruz but sold throughout California, specializing in low-dose chocolates specifically blended with herbs to enhance mood. “I eat a gourmet chocolate bar for breakfast every morning, and I feel better than ever,” reveals Lulu.

Lulu’s Chocolates and Botanicals

Lulu’s Cannabis Love Bar won the bronze medal for Best Edible at the 2017 NorCal Cannabis Cup only six weeks after launching Lulu’s Botanicals. All Lulu products are a 1:1 ratio of THC and CBD. Because Lulu’s cannabis extract itself has no flavor, Lulu worked with her husband to balance the cannabis terpenes to accentuate chocolatey flavors. Lulu now works with a master herbalist to make her formulas, using roughly 15-20 herbs that synergize with cannabis. For instance, her Awake 5mg bars are mixed with herbs that provide energy and stamina, whereas Relax 5mg bars are mixed with anti-inflammatory herbs.

Throughout Lulu’s experience, she has become passionate about educating the public about edibles and responsible dosing, so much so she was inspired to launch her own YouTube channel in October, Lulu’s Botanicals. Now everyone can experience Lulu, in and out of California!

Related News

As a lifestyle publication, DOPE Magazine is dedicated to creating purposeful, relevant conversations. When we printed our inaugural issue in 2011 we positioned ourselves in the cannabis arena as a team of professionals determined to normalize the plant. While cannabis remains the central theme of our brand, 2017 has marked a turning point in our progression. We’ve built a steadfast framework of inclusivity when speaking about gender, race, class, politics, family and culture—with the ethos DEFEND.